How to Call the United Arab Emirates: A Comprehensive Guide
Calling someone in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from abroad might seem daunting, but with the right information, it’s a straightforward process. This comprehensive guide will walk you through each step, providing all the necessary details to ensure your call goes smoothly. Whether you’re calling a friend, family member, or a business contact, understanding the dialing codes and procedures is crucial. Let’s dive in!
Understanding the Basics: Country Code and Area Codes
Before making any call, you need to understand two fundamental concepts: the country code and the area code.
* **Country Code:** Every country has a unique code that you must dial before the phone number when calling from outside its borders. The country code for the United Arab Emirates is **+971** or **00971**. You can use either one; both are correct. The ‘+’ sign is used internationally as a universal way to indicate that you need to dial the country code; it’s especially useful if you’re using a mobile phone. When using your landline you dial ’00’ first.
* **Area Codes:** Within the UAE, there are area codes that identify specific regions or emirates. These codes are essential for directing your call to the correct location. The area codes are always used after the country code and before the local phone number. Here is a list of the main UAE area codes:
* **Abu Dhabi (City and Region):** 02
* **Dubai:** 04
* **Sharjah:** 06
* **Ajman:** 06
* **Umm Al Quwain:** 06
* **Ras Al Khaimah:** 07
* **Fujairah:** 09
* **Al Ain (Part of Abu Dhabi Emirate):** 03
It’s important to note that the area code is sometimes included in the phone number you’ve been given, in these cases you should drop the ‘0’ from the start of the area code when dialling internationally. For example if the number you have been given is 04 123 4567, you would dial it as +971 4 123 4567.
Step-by-Step Guide to Calling the UAE
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s go through the step-by-step process of calling the UAE:
**Step 1: Dial the Exit Code (if required)**
* If you’re calling from a landline, you might need to dial an exit code to indicate that you are making an international call. This code varies depending on the country you’re calling from.
* For example, in the United States and Canada, the exit code is `011`. In the United Kingdom and most of Europe, it’s `00`.
* However, if you’re using a mobile phone, you typically don’t need to dial an exit code; you can directly use the `+` sign followed by the country code.
* If your landline can dial a ‘+’ sign in the same way a mobile phone can, you can omit the exit code. For example, you can dial ‘+971’ instead of ‘00971’.
**Step 2: Dial the Country Code**
* After the exit code (or instead of it, when using +) , dial the UAE country code, which is `971`. So at this stage you should have `00971` or `+971` dialed in, depending on your chosen method.
**Step 3: Dial the Area Code**
* Next, dial the area code for the city or region you’re calling. Remember to drop the leading ‘0’ if your given number already includes the area code. For instance, for Dubai, you would dial `4`; for Abu Dhabi, you would dial `2`. Remember, you only need the number on the area code without the 0, for example if the area code is ’04’, you just dial ‘4’.
**Step 4: Dial the Local Number**
* Finally, dial the local phone number of the person or business you’re trying to reach. This is typically a 7-digit number, but sometimes you will find 8 digit numbers used in the UAE. So you should have a total of 10 digits after the ‘+971’ country code if the number is seven digits, and 11 digits if the number is 8 digits. Example of a Dubai number could be, +971 4 1234 567 or +971 4 123 45678.
**Putting it All Together**
Here are a few examples of how to dial different UAE numbers:
* **Calling a Dubai number from the US (with exit code):** 011 971 4 123 4567
* **Calling a Dubai number from a mobile phone:** +971 4 123 4567
* **Calling an Abu Dhabi number from the UK (with exit code):** 00 971 2 987 6543
* **Calling an Abu Dhabi number from a mobile phone:** +971 2 987 6543
* **Calling a Ras Al Khaimah number from a landline with + support:** +971 7 765 4321
* **Calling a Ras Al Khaimah number from a landline without + support:** 00971 7 765 4321
Additional Tips for Making International Calls to the UAE
* **Check the Time Difference:** The UAE operates on Gulf Standard Time (GST), which is UTC+4. Before calling, check the time difference between your location and the UAE to avoid calling at inconvenient hours. For example, if you’re in the UK (GMT), there is a three-hour time difference so if it’s 10am in the UK it’s 1pm in the UAE.
* **Be Mindful of Public Holidays and Weekends:** The UAE’s weekend is Friday and Saturday. Government offices and many businesses are closed on these days. Be sure to check for public holidays too before making a business call.
* **Use a Calling App or VoIP Service:** If you’re making frequent international calls, consider using a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service or a calling app like WhatsApp, Skype, Viber, or Google Meet. These can be more cost-effective than traditional long-distance calling methods, provided you have a good internet connection on both ends. Apps like these are generally free for users on the same platform, you may be charged to call a standard landline or mobile phone number.
* **Check for International Calling Plans:** Check with your local phone service provider for international calling plans and packages. These can reduce the cost per minute for international calls, especially if you make frequent calls abroad.
* **Make Sure You Have Enough Credit or Allowance:** If you use a pay-as-you-go or contract phone be certain that you have enough credit or call allowance to cover the cost of an international call, international calls can be more expensive and using up your credit quickly.
* **Confirm the Number You Have:** Ensure the full number and area code you have are correct before dialling as you could end up dialling the wrong number if a digit is missing or incorrect. Always check the number again prior to dialling.
* **Consider Calling a Contact via a Messaging Application First:** If you need to make a quick call but are worried about costs it may be quicker to message your contact first through a messaging application and ask if it is a good time to call them using the app’s voice call feature, or ask to call them back using a standard call from your mobile, and you can quickly confirm the number you have and get any last-minute instructions.
* **Dialing From Hotels:** If you’re dialling from a hotel room, you may need to dial an access number to get an outside line and then the international number, check with the hotel for details of how to access an external line, and for any charges that they might add to your bill for using the hotel’s facilities to make calls.
* **Use a Phone Book or Online Resource:** If you’re unsure about a particular area code or local number, try using an online phone book or search engine to verify the information. This is often helpful, however, some older numbers may not be available using these methods.
* **Be Aware of Local Restrictions:** There may be some restrictions on what types of communications are allowed in the UAE, especially concerning content, be aware of local laws and respect cultural norms.
* **Be Patient:** International calls, especially those travelling over several networks may sometimes take slightly longer to connect, just be patient and do not cut the connection until you hear the ringing tone on the other end.
* **Consider using Wifi for better call quality:** Using a reliable Wifi network can improve call quality compared to using a mobile network especially if your mobile network is not strong, this is particularly true for voice over IP apps.
* **Check your phone’s roaming settings:** If you are making a call using your mobile whilst not at your normal place of residence you may need to check your phone’s roaming settings, ensure that these are set to allow international calls to be made. Your phone may require certain settings to be configured to use certain types of calling technology.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
* **Call Not Connecting:** If your call doesn’t connect, double-check that you’ve dialed the numbers correctly, including the country code, area code, and local number. Ensure there are no typos in the sequence. If you’re still having trouble, try restarting your phone.
* **Poor Call Quality:** Poor call quality can be due to a weak internet connection (for VoIP calls) or a poor mobile network signal. Try moving to a location with a better signal or try calling through a different medium. It may also help to switch off any battery saving settings on your phone as these may interfere with the signal.
* **Charges Are Too High:** If you’re concerned about charges, consider using a VoIP service or contacting your local provider to explore international calling plans. In some cases it may be cheaper to call using a messaging app provided that the person you are calling is available using the same app.
* **Dial Tone Not Heard:** Sometimes there can be a short delay before the dial tone is heard, this is a common problem when connecting over networks and sometimes the delay may be slightly longer. This does not necessarily mean the call has failed, so try waiting a few seconds before disconnecting, and try again, if the problem persists.
In Conclusion
Calling the United Arab Emirates is a simple process once you understand the country code, area codes, and the dialing procedures. With this guide, you should now be well-equipped to make international calls to the UAE without any hassle. Always double-check the numbers, be mindful of the time difference, and consider using VoIP services for cost-effective communication. By following these guidelines, you’ll be able to stay connected with your contacts in the UAE effortlessly. Remember, patience and careful attention to detail are key to a successful international call.
We hope this guide has been helpful. Happy calling!